The Long Road Back
by Delia Blue
Summary: There's no denying that they hurt each other but Rachel has faith they'll find their way back. It's a long road back to the way things used to be but some things in life are worth the effort.
1. You Give Love A Bad Name

_Shot through the heart_

_And you're to blame_

_You give love a bad name_

_I play my part and you play your game_

_You give love a bad name_

"_You Give Love A Bad Name"-Bon Jovi_

It had been weeks since Rachel admitted she nearly slept with Puck out of revenge and Finn Hudson was still steaming mad. How could she do this to him? After everything they'd been through and after what had happened with Quinn, Rachel had to have known how much of a blow this would be.

Rachel had been there for almost everything with Quinn and in the end, she had been the one to tell him the truth: that the baby he'd grown to love was not his but his best friend's. That news had sent him storming out and he'd nearly quit the glee club because of it.

In the end, he came back and it had brought him and Rachel closer together. He knew how most people saw Rachel; he knew how overbearing, pushy, and snobby she could seem sometimes. But he also knew that Rachel had a big heart and always looked out for him.

He'd never felt about Quinn the way he felt about Rachel; he was sure of that. With Quinn, they'd been two popular kids who ended up together but it had never really been serious. With Rachel, things had been different. He'd admittedly screwed up by not telling her he'd slept with Santana but he didn't want to hurt her.

The last thing he'd wanted to do was hurt Rachel but it turns out, all she wanted to do was hurt him. And that's why he'd ended things between them.

* * *

As he walked into the rehearsal room that day, Finn stuck to what had become his new routine. He walked past Rachel, ignoring her wide beseeching eyes that he'd once stared into for hours.

He walked past Puck, ignoring the awkwardness that swelled between them.

He walked past Santana, ignoring the smirk that she had aimed at him.

In order to keep his sanity, Finn was ignoring a hell of a lot these days.

Then he took his seat. He used to sit with Rachel but there was no way that was happening anytime soon. He considered sitting next to Sam or Mike but they sat with their girlfriends and he just couldn't take any cheesiness right now. So he sat alone.

It was better that way.

When Mr. Schuester finally entered, Finn let out a sigh of relief. If he hadn't enjoyed Glee Club so much, he would have quit weeks ago. As they started to warm up, he felt Rachel's eyes on him. He allowed himself a quick peek and sure enough, Rachel was looking right at him.

His eyes locked on hers as her voice carried over everyone else's. He'd always loved her voice but today it brought him nothing but pain. So he turned away and focused on the music.

* * *

It wasn't until late at night that he allowed himself to think of Rachel. Her silky brown hair that he used to run his fingers through when they made out in her room, the way her dark eyes smoldered before she kissed him, how soft her skin felt when he took her hand.

He missed her; he couldn't deny it. He wished he could talk to someone about it but when he thought about it, he didn't have many close friends anymore. He had the glee club and that was about it for the most part.

Finn rolled over, facing the picture of him and Rachel by his bed. The day they'd broken up, he'd gone home and knocked it over in a fit of anger but, almost guiltily, he'd put it back up. He hadn't had the heart to take it down again.

He stared at the picture until he fell asleep and dreamed of him and Rachel the way they used to be.

* * *

A/N: Hello and welcome to my very first Glee fic! This chapter is really short but it's just setting the stage. POV's will alternate between Finn and Rachel and will eventually end with them together. Each chapter will use a different song as a basis which is kind of how I got the idea for this fic. Thanks for reading!


	2. You Were Meant For Me

_Dreams last for so long_

_Even after you're gone_

_I know that you love me_

_And soon you will see_

_You were meant for me_

_And I was meant for you_

"_You Were Meant For Me"-Jewel_

_

* * *

_

Rachel Berry wasn't the type to wallow. She didn't see much point in it. If there was something that she wanted, you could guarantee that Rachel would go after it.

For the first time in her sixteen years though, things weren't that simple.

She wanted Finn, desperately so. She'd had a crush on him since the first time she'd heard him sing. That crush had only deepened as she'd gotten to know him and she was sure that part of her heart would always be with Finn.

She figured if there were ever a time to wallow, this was it. But only for a little while. She had plans to make.

Rachel rifled through her sheet music, pausing when she came across "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Had it really only been a few months since she and Finn had sang that song together in the choir room? It seemed like a lifetime ago now. They'd been so happy but unbeknownst to her at the time, the fuse had already been lit.

Finn had slept with Santana and lied about it.

She wasn't really upset that he'd slept with Santana; after all they hadn't been a couple at the time. Granted, the fact that it was Santana of all people stung but it was more so that he lied about it. She'd told him straight up that she hadn't slept with Jesse even though she'd come close but Finn had looked her in the eyes and lied.

To make matters worse, it seemed like everyone else in glee club had known as well. Rachel was far from stupid. She knew exactly what the rest of the group thought of her. Still, she thought they would have had the courtesy to tell her the truth.

Instead, she'd found out in front of everybody in the worst possible way. Santana's smirking face wasn't something she was likely to forget anytime soon.

Now, admittedly, turning to Noah for revenge definitely wasn't one of her brightest moments but she'd just been so hurt. Noah had been there and it just spiraled out of control. Thank goodness he'd stopped them before they went through with it. Otherwise…well, she didn't even want to think about it.

She had to stop thinking about the past though. It was time to focus on the future. She was going to win Finn back. It wouldn't be easy but he was worth it.

It would all be worth it in the end.

* * *

"Hey guys, listen up." Mr. Schuester called out, his voice loud and enthusiastic.

Almost immediately, the noise in the room began to die down. Whatever it was Mr. Schue wanted to tell them certainly had him excited.

"As you all know, Regionals is coming up."

He paused as a few sounds of affirmation floated through the room.

"You've done great this year and I'm really proud of all of you. That's why I've decided we should have a little contest." Will told them with a bright smile.

Immediately, Rachel perked up in her seat. Mercedes and Tina started whispering amongst themselves excitedly but Mike didn't look so enthused.

"Do we have to participate?" Mike wanted to know.

"Yes, everyone has to participate. We're a team guys! That's why you'll be partnered up, to foster team participation." Mr. Schue explained.

Rachel deflated a little bit at the mention of a partner but raised her hand pertly to ask a question.

Will dipped his head in her direction and said, "Go ahead Rachel."

"What is the prize?" Rachel inquired, getting straight to the point.

"The winners will each get to perform a solo at Regionals." Will informed her.

Rachel's eagerness returned and she beamed brightly.

"And we can perform any song of our choosing for the contest?" Rachel pressed on.

"Sure, but remember. Both partners must participate." Will said, looking directly at Rachel.

A few snickers were heard but Rachel wasn't bothered. Satisfied, she sat back in her seat, already thinking of songs that best suited her voice.

"Do we get to pick partners this time?" Puck asked warily.

"No, once again, we're letting the fates decide." Mr. Schuester replied, pulling the hat into view.

"Yeah, because that went so well the first time." Finn muttered, the memory of Mr. Schue and Rachel singing Endless Love running through his head.

"Alright, Quinn, you're up first." Will said, gesturing to her.

Quinn walked to the front and plucked Tina's name out of the hat. She shrugged with a little half smile as she went to sit by Tina.

"Mike, how about you next?" Will teased, a smile playing at his lips.

Mike still looked less than enthused and his mood soured even further as he was paired with Artie. It wasn't like he had anything against the other boy but working with his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend was not his idea of fun. Still, Mike managed to put on a game face and took a seat near Artie.

"Okay, come on Lauren." Schue said.

Lauren ambled over and carelessly pulled a slip out.

"Santana." Lauren read aloud.

Santana barely held back a look of disdain. Lauren pointedly returned to the seat she'd been sitting in before.

"Mercedes, your turn." Will continued, looking around to see who was left.

"It's you and me Finn." Mercedes called out with a relieved smile after reading the name she'd picked.

Finn chuckled at Mercedes' enthusiasm. He was glad he'd gotten paired with Mercedes. She had a great voice and they definitely had a chance to win.

"Rachel." Will announced next, seeing her barely contained anticipation.

Rachel walked up, running through who was left mentally. Sam wouldn't be so bad she guessed. She quickly pulled out a name and immediately blanched.

"Mr. Schuester, I would really prefer to redraw." Rachel said quietly.

"Unless you pulled your own name out, no redraws." Will shook his head.

Rachel opened her mouth to argue but closed it seeing the look on his face. She took a deep breath and turned to face the rest of the group.

"Noah." She said weakly.

She didn't dare look at Finn. Still, she could practically feel the anger rolling off of him in waves. Puck looked surprised but other than that, he just nodded.

"Come on Berry, just sit down." Puck told her, seeing her standing there unsurely.

His words were rather harsh but his tone was nice enough. Rachel took her previous seat which happened to be in front of Puck.

"Calm down. We're just paired together for the contest." Puck whispered to her, leaning forward.

Rachel snuck a peek at Finn and his face was dark as thunder as Sam and Brittany were left to partner up. She gulped audibly, a sound that Puck heard.

"Don't worry about Finn. He'll get over it." Puck said dismissively.

Rachel wasn't so sure.

* * *

Rachel practically darted out the room as soon as practice ended. She wasn't quick enough though because Finn was hot on her heels.

"Rachel!" He called, his tone sharp and serious.

Rachel paused, wincing slightly. She just couldn't catch a break these days. She turned around, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"Hello Finn. How are you?" Rachel said, forcing an upbeat tone.

"I bet you're happy. Paired up with Puck." Finn spat out.

"Look, it was simple probability. There was a 1/3rd chance that I would end up-" Rachel started, breaking into a explanation of the mathematics of it.

Finn wasn't interested though. He steamrolled right over her.

"Yeah, whatever. What was the probability that you'd cheat on me with Puck?" Finn interrupted.

Rachel looked like she'd been slapped and Finn's face softened. He was about to speak when Puck exited, calling Rachel's name.

"You know Mr. Schue said it was the fates that decided who we got put with. Maybe this is just fate's way of telling us that we're not meant to be together." Finn told her, looking a little lost.

With that, he walked off with his hands in his pockets, leaving Rachel standing there alone.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to those that reviewed! This story should be about ten to twelve chapters long and I hope to have it finished by the time Glee comes back. I'm trying to write as much as possible before classes start back next week and I already have the next three chapters written. So, please review and I'm planning on putting the next chapter up on Friday.


	3. Victims of Love

_Everybody's hurt somebody before_

_Everybody's been hurt by somebody before_

_You can change but you'll always come back for more_

_It's a game and we're all just victims of love_

"_Victims of Love"-Good Charlotte _

_

* * *

_

Puck. Of all people, it had to be Puck.

Finn sat there moodily as Mercedes tried to discuss song choices and times to meet up but Finn wasn't participating in the conversation. Instead, he was thinking about the ways in which his former best friend had ruined his life.

"Look Finn, I was happy that we're partners but if all you're going to do is sit over there and brood, we are definitely going to have some problems." Mercedes told him, her hand on her hip.

"Sorry Mercedes, it's just-" Finn stopped, not sure where to even start.

Fortunately for him, Mercedes didn't seem to care. She was all business right now.

"I know. You're upset about Rachel." Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"I'm not upset, I'm angry." Finn shook his head vehemently.

Resigned to the fact that if she wanted to get anything accomplished today, they were going to have to talk, Mercedes sat down across from him.

"I know you two broke up over what happened with Santana but I don't get why you seem so bitter." Mercedes commented.

"That's not why we broke up." Finn sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

Seeing the confusion on Mercedes's face, Finn amended his earlier statement with "Well, I guess that's what started it but it's not the whole story."

"Then why don't you tell me?" Mercedes suggested.

Finn thought back to the other night when he'd really wanted to talk to someone about this. Mercedes hadn't been who he'd had in mind but it couldn't hurt. So he did. He told her everything. How back when Rachel had been with Jesse, he'd slept with Santana because she'd been there and Rachel wasn't. How it meant nothing and afterward, he'd wanted to pretend it never happened so he hadn't told Rachel. Then they'd gotten back together and they'd been so happy he hadn't wanted to ruin that so he didn't tell her.

He told her how upset she'd been when she'd found out and stormed off. How she'd told him she'd nearly slept with Puck out of revenge and that he'd broken up with her as a result. How angry he'd been- and still was- because this was his second girlfriend who'd cheated on him with his best friend.

How hurt he'd been because he'd loved her. How now he could barely look at her without imagining her with Puck and when they'd gotten partnered together, he thought his head was going to explode.

Mercedes listened to it all without judgment or interrupting, letting him get it all out. When he finally finished, it had been almost half an hour and he'd felt almost like a weight had been lifted.

"Finn, do you mind if tell you something you're not going to like?" Mercedes asked.

Finn shrugged, not sure how to respond. Mercedes took that as a cue to go on and sat forward to talk to him.

"I get why you're mad but I think you need to cut her a break. You know, for all her faults, Rachel is honest. I don't really like her but the girl is brutally honest when it counts. That's probably why she was so mad and we both know she does some not so rational things when she feels attacked."

Finn opened his mouth to protest but Mercedes rushed to finish what she was saying.

"Now that doesn't excuse what she did. I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that you messed up too." Mercedes went on.

Finn turned his head away. He didn't argue but he looked like he wanted to disagree.

"And you two aren't together anymore so you need to stop stressing about this whole thing with Puck. It's not like she asked to be partnered with him." Mercedes pointed out.

All the fight went out of him at that point. Deep down, Finn knew Mercedes was right. He was just so angry still that he didn't know how to begin to move on. He remembered the look on Rachel's face as he'd officially broke things off and felt a sharp pang of sadness.

He realized then that he still loved her. He just wished that he could trust her.

"I know that. I just wish things were different." Finn said wistfully.

"I know." Mercedes replied sympathetically.

They sat there for a moment, neither one speaking.

"Let's just focus on winning this contest. That would definitely help to take things off your mind." Mercedes said finally.

"Yeah, sure." Finn agreed.

It was a great distraction. They argued about what kind of song to perform. Mercedes was adamant about doing an R&B song but Finn wasn't so sure. Eventually, he agreed but only if she could find the right song. After about an hour, they parted with plans to meet up later in the week.

Finn felt better than he had in weeks.

* * *

A/N: This one was hard one for some reason. I needed Finn to talk to someone and I decided who better than his partner lol. The next chapter will be Rachel and Puck working on their stuff for the competition and talking a little bit. That one should be up by Sunday. In the meantime, don't forget to review :) Oh, and if anyone has any ideas for what the groups should sing for the competition, please let me know.


	4. Thinking of You

_You say move on _

_Where do I go?_

_I guess second best is all I will know_

'_Cause when I'm with him_

_I am thinking of you_

"_Thinking of You"-Katy Perry_

_

* * *

_

Rachel sat in the choir room dejectedly, her head propped up with her hand. She was waiting for Puck but, of course, he was late. Glancing at the clock, she was ready to leave. She had just stood up to go when Puck walked in.

"Nice of you to show up for the meeting _you _scheduled, Noah." Rachel said icily.

"I had to drop my sister off." Puck told her, unconcerned.

Rachel was not moved in the least. He was the one who had arranged this meeting before school so there was no excuse why he was late. She probably wouldn't have been so cranky but she had had a hard time sleeping the night before. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was Finn's face as he'd confronted her.

"Let's just get started." Rachel sighed.

"Alright." Puck agreed, sitting down and pulling out his guitar.

He strummed the guitar slowly, picking at the chords absently. Puck seemed to be thinking hard about something but didn't speak.

"You okay after what happened yesterday?" Puck finally asked, not looking at her.

"What? You mean when Finn verbally assaulted me after practice? Of course, why wouldn't I be perfectly fine?" Rachel sarcastically replied.

Puck didn't answer. He focused his attention on his guitar instead. After a minute of silence, Rachel started to feel a little guilty for brushing him off so quickly. He was just trying to be nice and she knew that it was hard for him to show emotion like that.

"I'm sorry Noah. I'm kind of on edge these days." Rachel apologized.

"It's cool. I just saw that you looked kind of sad after you talked with Finn." Puck shrugged.

Rachel felt a familiar tingle of tears that she refused to let fall as she remembered that disastrous conversation with Finn. She couldn't believe that things between them were this bad. She decided to change the topic before she really did burst into tears.

"So, I was thinking that we should do a song from-" Rachel said suddenly.

"No." Puck interrupted, shaking his head even before she could get her idea out.

"You didn't let me finish." Rachel pouted, looking a little stung.

"I already know that you were going to suggest some lame Broadway song." Puck chuckled.

Rachel couldn't help but smile back. In fact, she had been about to say a Broadway song. It was one of her favorites and it was _not _lame. She had already known though that it would be a hard sell to get Puck to willingly do Broadway.

"Then what do you suggest?" Rachel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Rock-n-roll baby." Puck grinned.

"Negative." Rachel disagreed.

"Come on. Think about it. Lots of energy, great music…It would be awesome." Puck elaborated, playfully doing a little guitar riff.

"Broadway can be all of those things plus great costumes." Rachel protested.

They went back and forth for the next couple minutes, neither backing down. Both were stubbornly fixated on doing what they wanted and compromise wasn't an option. With ten minutes left until the first bell, Puck and Rachel agreed to each pick a song and they'd pick next time.

Puck was packing up his guitar while Rachel gathered her things to leave. They were mostly silent but it was a rather comfortable silence.

"I've been meaning to thank you for…you know." Rachel trailed off.

"Stopping us from having sex?" Puck supplied with a smirk.

"Noah!" Rachel chastised, blushing fiercely.

Puck laughed, not at all bothered. They hadn't really spoken since everything had happened but he didn't have any hard feelings toward her.

"Don't worry about it. I knew that you didn't really want to and I didn't really want to do that to Finn." Puck shrugged.

Rachel winced at the mention of Finn's name. In addition to ruining her relationship with Finn, she'd also ruined Finn and Puck's friendship.

"I really made a mess of things." Rachel whispered sadly.

Puck stood there awkwardly. Despite everything, they still weren't really friends so he wasn't sure how to respond or whether he should even say anything at all.

"Look Berry, Finn'll come around. I've known the guy basically my whole life. He's being a bit of an ass right now but he's just angry." Puck said gruffly, seemingly having a hard time getting the words out.

"I don't know about that." Rachel forced a smile so that the tears wouldn't come.

The heightened emotion in the room was a little too much for Puck. He wasn't much for displays of feelings and this was just beyond his capabilities. He shut his guitar case quickly and stood to go.

"Stop thinking about it so much. You'll drive yourself crazier than you already are." Puck advised her with a signature smirk before leaving.

Even though Puck had helped to lift her spirits slightly, as she left the room, all she could think about was Finn.

* * *

A/N: This one didn't exactly go the way I planned but I like the way it turned out. Next one should be up within a day or so. Don't forget to review!


	5. Not Ready to Make Nice

A/N: Sorry for the long break. I got caught in the snowstorm and it's just been a mess. This one has a bit of strong language in it. Next chapter will be a bit of a turning point between Rachel and Finn so stay tuned!

Disclaimer: I haven't done one yet but in case you haven't figured it out, I own nothing. Not the songs, not the characters, nothing lol.

_Forgive_

_Sounds good_

_Forget _

_I'm not sure I could_

_They say time heals everything_

_But I'm still waiting_

"_Not Ready to Make Nice"- Dixie Chicks

* * *

_

Thank goodness school was over. There was no glee today because Schue was giving them time to prepare before the contest on Friday. Finn had never liked school much but these days it was just unbearable. Everywhere he turned, there was Rachel. It was like the universe was playing a joke on him or something.

Like earlier in gym when Rachel had showed up. She didn't even have gym but her teacher had sent her to pick up something. It was starting to get ridiculous. Football practice was a welcome reprieve from seeing Rachel all the time. There was no chance she'd show up there at least.

Finn was walking to his locker to drop his stuff off and get ready to head to the gym when he saw her. With Puck. They were looking awful friendly as they chatted by his locker. Too friendly for his liking. Even though they weren't dating anymore, it was the principle of the thing. How could she just stand there talking to him like that like she hadn't cheated with him?

Finn felt his blood start to boil as rage filled him. Instead of going over there, he just opened his locker and shoved his things in there. He looked up just in time to see Rachel touch Puck's arm tenderly and that was the final straw. He slammed his locker shut causing all eyes to fixate on him.

He didn't care. He stared right back at Rachel and Puck before storming off in the other direction.

* * *

Finn pointedly ignored Puck when Puck finally made his way to the locker room. Puck didn't seem to mind. He went over and started talking to some of the guys on the team, leaving Finn to change his into his uniform in peace. When Puck made his way over to his gym locker, Finn got up without a word and headed out to the football field. All practice, Finn said nothing to Puck unless it was required. When practice ended, he made sure he headed back before Puck but Puck made sure to catch up.

"Dude, you need to stop acting like such a dick. I get that you're pissed but you're taking it too far." Puck told him as they walked back to the locker room with the rest of the team.

Finn wasn't in the mood. Coach Beiste had been riding them hard all practice. Finn was exhausted, sweaty, and all he wanted to do was take a shower and go home.

"Shut up Puck." Finn gritted his teeth.

"I'm serious. You're acting like such a punk." Puck insisted.

"_I'm_ serious Puck. Shut up." Finn warned him.

"What are you going to do about it Finderella?" Puck taunted.

Finn whirled around and shoved him hard. Puck stumbled back a little bit but kept his ground. Everyone else knew better than to get involved and kept walking, leaving the two of them on the field alone. Puck took an intimidating step toward Finn, fire in his eyes.

"Finally, you're doing something instead of moping around." Puck sneered.

Finn scowled at him, practically willing Puck to hit him. For once though, Puck didn't take the bait.

"Look, I'm sorry about how things went down. It shouldn't have happened like that and I'd take it back if I could. But you need to snap out of it." Puck told him, softening a bit.

"Who are you to tell me anything?" Finn belligerently replied.

"You're not the only one who's hurting you know. You're gonna push her away if you don't get it together." Puck advised him.

"Good. Maybe that's what I want." Finn defiantly said.

"You and I both know you don't mean that. If you did, you wouldn't walk around looking like someone ran over your dog." Puck wryly responded.

"Why do I have to forgive her on her schedule? She's the one who cheated on me!" Finn argued, his eyes dark and angry.

"I can pretty much guarantee that won't happen again." Puck snorted.

"Yeah, well the two of you seem real close these days. I saw the way you were looking at her when you two were talking by the locker." Finn frowned.

"That was nothing." Puck shrugged.

"Didn't look like nothing." Finn said suspiciously.

"If you must know, we were talking about you. All that girl cares about, other than herself, is you and music." Puck scoffed.

Finn digested that bit of information slowly, mulling over whether he believed it or not. It wasn't totally far-fetched to think that Puck would lie to him.

"Look, I'm going to hit the showers. Just think about what I said. Besides, what's that they say? Forgive and forget, right?" Puck said before walking off.

Finn lagged behind, lost in his thoughts. He could forgive her. It would take some time but he knew that he would eventually. It was the forgetting part that he knew just wasn't going to happen.


	6. Someday

A/N: Wow, the responses for the last chapter blew me away. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it. I decided to post this chapter early as a big thank you!

_Someday, somehow_

_We're gonna be alright but not right now_

_I know you're wondering when_

_Someday, somehow_

_We're gonna make it alright but not right now_

_I know you're wondering when_

"_Someday"-Nickelback_

* * *

Rachel took a deep breath as she worked up the courage to go talk to Finn. When he'd seen her with Puck the other day, she was sure that he'd never speak to her again. She'd gone home that day, locked herself in her room, and blasted sad music until her dads came up out of concern, asking if she needed to talk to her therapist. She'd decided that wasn't exactly the best course of action and gotten it together. She'd been nervous to go back to school and face Finn again the next day though.

Much to her surprise though, Finn didn't seem so angry anymore. He still wasn't really talking to her but she no longer felt like he was shooting daggers at her when he looked in her direction. In fact, he seemed more introspective, like he was thinking something through.

He was walking down the hallway now, completely alone. Rachel figured that if there was ever a time to talk, now was it. So with a small prayer for luck, Rachel called out his name.

Finn stopped in his tracks and turned around. He wasn't smiling but he didn't look mad either. She took it as a positive sign and hurried to catch up with him.

"What is it Rachel?" Finn asked, adjusting his backpack.

Rather than break into her personal feelings, Rachel took the safe road by talking about glee.

"I was thinking that as co-captains, we should try and be civil for the sake of Glee Club. We're setting an absolutely execrable example for the rest of the team." Rachel told him, holding her breath as she waited for his reaction.

"What's execrable?" Finn inquired with a sheepish grin.

Rachel fought back a giggle. She'd missed his lovely, dopey grin when he'd asked her what something meant. It hadn't been directed at her in a long time.

"Horrible." Rachel supplied helpfully.

"Oh." Finn nodded.

He didn't say any more after that. Rachel started to feel uncomfortable so she went on.

"It's just with Regionals approaching and everything that's going on, it's important that we can talk about things. I know that winning Regionals would mean a lot to both of us and I wouldn't want our personal disagreements interfering with the music. That would be-" Rachel rambled.

"Whoa, Rachel, slow down." Finn interrupted, looking a little bemused.

Rachel blushed apologetically.

"I get what you're saying." Finn nodded in agreement.

"You do?" Rachel breathed in excitement.

Did he finally forgive her? Did he understand that she wanted them to talk for so many reasons, not just for the sake of Glee Club? She could scarcely believe it.

"Yeah. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the group." Finn added.

Right. The rest of the group. Rachel barely managed to hide her disappointment. She quickly recovered though and put a smile on her face.

"Exactly. Besides, I think we made it awkward enough the past few weeks." Rachel faked a laugh.

"Speaking of awkward…Actually, I've been meaning to apologize to you." Finn looked a little embarrassed.

"You have?" Rachel asked hopefully.

Something about this conversation was turning her brain to mush. She was having trouble coming up with responses.

"Yeah. The way I acted after you got put with Puck was really messed up. I shouldn't have said any of that. I'm sorry." Finn genuinely apologized, running a hand through his short dark hair.

Rachel couldn't bring herself to say it was okay. Because it wasn't and she knew that. She was glad he apologized but, as she was beginning to learn, sometimes an apology didn't make everything okay. So she just nodded slightly awkwardly.

"I didn't want to be partnered with him." Rachel said quietly.

"I know that. I knew it then too. I was just…so on edge that it just set me off, you know?" Finn explained, looking at her and hoping she understood.

"I know. It's been a hard couple of weeks." Rachel admitted.

Finn cocked his head thoughtfully, looking as though he'd just realized that she'd been struggling too. Rachel looked up at him imploringly, willing him to feel the pain she'd been dragging around.

"It has, huh?" Finn spoke aloud.

Rachel dipped her head in acknowledgment, hoping that this would be it. That they could go back to the way things used to be.

"So are we friends again?" Rachel asked bluntly.

Finn sighed, rubbing his face. He refused to meet her gaze, looking instead at his shoes.

"Rachel, we can talk I guess. I'm not sure we can be friends though." Finn said uncomfortably.

"Why not?" Rachel wanted to know, her voice full of hurt.

"Think about it Rachel. We went from being like acquaintances to dating." Finn pointed out, using one of the words he'd picked up from Rachel.

"So what are you saying?" Rachel asked, choked with tears.

"I'm saying that I'm not sure you and me can be just friends." Finn admitted.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Rachel managed to say before running off in tears.

* * *

A/N: I hope you didn't think it'd be that easy. Don't worry; they'll get their acts together in the end. Next up is the much anticipated (dreaded lol) contest.


	7. Come Home

_Forgive me if I'm young or speaking out of turn_

_But there's someone I've been missing_

_And I think that they could be_

_The better half of me_

_They're in the wrong place trying to make it right_

_But I'm tired of justifying_

"_Come Home"-OneRepublic_

_

* * *

_

True to his word, Finn was perfectly civil to Rachel. That was a small consolation in Rachel's eyes though. The fact that he'd said they'd never been friends nearly broke her. She didn't understand how he could think that, let alone say it. After that, Rachel threw herself into the competition, deciding that would be a healthy outlet for her frustration.

Since there were six groups that had to perform, Will had decided to split up the performances over two days. They'd drawn straws to see who would go on what day. Sam, Brittany, Lauren, Santana, Quinn, and Tina had all gone on the first day.

By far, Quinn and Tina had done the best out of everyone that day. They'd chosen to do an energetic rendition of "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson that had roused everyone's spirits. Lauren and Santana hadn't even made it through their number. They'd stopped halfway through to argue over the lyrics before giving up.

Sam and Brittany had done a nice job as well but it wasn't particularly memorable. Rachel couldn't even remember what song that they had performed; only that it was some song that she didn't recognize. Rachel left that day confident that she and Puck had a great chance of winning. The only group she was even remotely worried about was Finn and Mercedes.

Even now, they looked fully confident. They were dressed similarly in dark pants and button down white shirts. Rachel and Puck had decided against costumes as well; really, they just hadn't had time to decide.

Choosing a song they both agreed on had been hard enough. Seeing as how neither seemed willing to back down, they'd conceded to go in another direction entirely. Puck suggested "Need You Now" and Rachel had reluctantly agreed. It was a good song but it would be difficult singing it to Puck.

"So, who wants to go first?" Will asked, looking for volunteers.

No one raised their hands.

"First for what?" Brittany asked with a look of confusion.

"We should go ahead and go." Puck whispered to Rachel.

"No, we're going last, remember? That way we are the freshest on his mind when he decides who gets the solos." Rachel hissed.

Before Puck could reply, Artie and Mike asked to go. They did a jazzy little number with Artie playing the guitar and singing while Mike mostly danced. Decent, but not good enough Rachel privately thought as she clapped for them.

Even better, Mercedes and Finn volunteered to go next. Everything was going exactly as Rachel planned.

"Finn and I will be doing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' by" Mercedes announced.

Rachel started to get a little worried as they sang. They were really good and somehow, she'd gotten Finn to actually dance willingly. When they finished, the applause for them was the loudest so far. That just left Puck and Rachel.

Rachel took a deep breath as she stood up to get in front of everyone. She still wasn't completely sold on doing this song but it was too late to do anything about it now. Puck flashed her a brief smile as they waited for Brad to start playing. The first few notes played and Rachel closed her eyes while she waited for her cue. She opened her mouth and began to sing.

"_Picture perfect memories,  
Scattered all around the floor.  
Reaching for the phone cause, I can't fight it anymore.  
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.  
For me it happens all the time."_

Puck's husky voice melded with hers for the chorus. All of Rachel's doubts melted away as she heard how well they sounded together.

_"Its a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.  
Said I wouldn't call, but I lost all control and I need you now.  
And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now."_

Rachel's voice tapered away, leading into Puck's solo. She snuck a peek at the crowd and was pleased by the look of enjoyment on Mr. Schuester's face.

_"Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door.  
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before.  
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.  
For me it happens all the time."_

Rachel's voice joined his once more as they really started to get into it_._ The rest of the song went as well as it possibly could. To get into the proper emotion of the song, she imagined herself singing it to Finn. From there, it was easy. They finished to a loud round of applause.

"We did awesome." Puck told her, satisfied.

Rachel just beamed

"You guys were all great. I mean it." Will said, clapping again.

"So who won?" Rachel wanted to know.

"Well, everyone did such a wonderful job but I'd have to say that three groups went above and beyond." Will started.

"Quinn and Tina, congratulations." Will smiled, gesturing to them.

Rachel's face fell as they celebrated. This wasn't going like she'd hoped it would.

"Mercedes and Finn, absolutely amazing." Will continued, looking in their direction.

Mercedes beamed and Finn gave her a half hug in relief.

"Last, but certainly not least, Rachel and Puck. That was a moving performance." Will finished.

"But who won?" Mercedes asked.

"I couldn't decide-" Will admitted before the rest of his words were drowned out with loud groans.

Rachel was both peeved and disappointed as she stared at Will in shock. On her left she heard as Puck grumbled his displeasure while to her right, Tina looked a little upset.

"Now, that doesn't mean that it's over. The three final teams will perform again and from there, a guest judge and I will pick a winner." Will explained.

Rachel still wasn't happy and judging by the looks of the other "winners', they weren't either. It wasn't much longer before they were dismissed but most of them hung back. Rachel saw Finn standing by himself as he got ready to go and decided to go and congratulate him.

"You and Mercedes did a wonderful job." Rachel said kindly as she approached him.

"Yeah, well not good enough." Finn replied without turning around.

"I wish he would have just picked a winner." Rachel sighed.

Finn didn't answer. He didn't even bother to look at her.

"Finn?" Rachel said, trying to get his attention.

"Look, I'll see you around Rachel." Finn told her, his tone distant and impersonal.

Finn seemed to be holding firm to his no friend's thing but this was different. He was acting so cold and hurtful for no reason. He wasn't mad anymore; he'd told her that himself. Looking back, Rachel would pinpoint that exact moment when she began to give up on Finn.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was by far the hardest to write. So glad it's over lol. Even though no winner was chosen, this is the end of the contest in this fic. But it's definitely not the end of the story. Next chapter is the main turning point where Rachel makes a major decision. Stay tuned to see what comes next!


	8. I Can't Make You Love Me

_I can't make you love me if you don't_

_You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

_Here in the dark, in these final hours_

_I will lay down my heart and I feel the power_

"_I Can't Make You Love Me"- Bonnie Raitt_

_

* * *

_

After that day, Rachel began avoiding Finn. She wasn't sure which was worse; the fact that she wasted so much energy making sure she didn't run into him or that he didn't seem to notice. It took a couple days but soon Rachel began to realize that maybe this was how Finn wanted things. Maybe it really was hopeless and she'd just been deluding herself into thinking that they could ever go back.

While it hurt her, deeply in fact, she was willing to accept it if it meant that Finn would be happy. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't actually _that_ selfish. She really did want Finn to be happy and Finn felt that the only way he could be happy was away from her, then she had to learn to move on.

Besides that, she was rather sick of being treated so poorly by Finn. It was beyond tiresome at this point and she wasn't quite sure why he was acting this way. He managed to treat Quinn nicely these days and she was pretty sure that Quinn's actions had been worse. Maybe it was time he needed but she couldn't just sit around waiting for him.

Enough was enough. If they were meant to be, it'd happen. Rachel was done trying though. It was just too painful. All that was left was to tell Finn.

She waited until Friday to tell him. That way they could have the weekend and everything would go back to some semblance of normal. It wasn't exactly ideal but it was the best she could come up with. At the end of the day, she went up to him as he while he was at his locker.

"Finn, we need to talk." Rachel announced.

"About what?" Finn asked distractedly, gathering what he needed for the weekend.

"I've made a decision that affects you as well so I decided to let you know." Rachel started, pausing when he continued to peruse through his locker.

"Finn, can you at least look at me?" Rachel asked in exasperation.

To his credit, Finn looked slightly sheepish as he turned to face her. She took a second to look at him, his casually messy dark hair, his deep chocolate eyes, and the moles and birthmarks scattered across his face that she knew like the back of her hand.

"What is it Rachel?" Finn said, focusing his attention on her.

"I've decided that you're right." Rachel informed him.

"Right about what?" Finn wanted to know, still looking confused.

"About us. I guess I was just being silly when I foolishly hoped that you could forgive me." Rachel explained, clutching her purse tighter.

"I have forgiven-" Finn started but Rachel didn't let him finish.

"You say that you have, but you haven't really. I can tell by the way you've been treating me. It's okay if you need time. I get that." Rachel nodded, feeling the lump in her throat start to grow.

Finn didn't say anything. She could tell by his expression that he was shocked but she pressed on.

"But I can't keep doing this. I can't be around you in this little limbo that we're in. It hurts too much." Rachel whispered, fighting the urge to look down.

She was determined to get through this with as much poise as possible. She had to find some way to retain her dignity throughout this.

"So you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm done trying to win you back. I just can't anymore." Rachel managed to say, trying hard to get the words out.

Finn still stood there without a word. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Do you have anything to say?" Rachel asked, prompting him to speak.

Finn shook his head, looking lost.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would." Rachel said almost spitefully, upset that he couldn't even bother to respond.

"I'll see you around Finn. And I mean this in the nicest way possible but please leave me alone. I just can't be around you right now." Rachel said, feeling the tears start to build.

She had spoke with total confidence but for some reason, her heart still felt heavy as she left him standing there. If she would have turned back, she would have noticed that Finn didn't look happy. In fact, he looked almost sad.

A/N: Sorry that this one is so short but the next one should be up by the end of the night. Next up will be Finn's response to things and that's where things get pretty interesting.


	9. Last Request

_Grant my last request and just let me hold you_

_Don't shrug your shoulders_

_Lay down beside me_

_Sure I can accept that we're going nowhere_

_But one last time let's go there_

_Lay down beside me_

"_Last Request"-Paolo Nutini_

_

* * *

_

It hadn't taken long for Finn to realize he didn't like being the one left behind. He'd stood there, dumbfounded, until Mike came up and invited him to a little party he was having that night. Finn wasn't really up to it and passed. Instead, he just went home.

His mom and Burt were both still at work so he had the house to himself. He headed straight to the kitchen where he saw a note from his mother reminding him to please straighten up his room before Kurt arrived this evening. With everything that had happened in the past week, he'd almost forgotten that his stepbrother was coming home this weekend. Apparently, private school really did have its perks. Kurt had a whole week off for a teacher's convention or something.

Finn took out the last of the leftover beef stew and stuck it in the microwave. He practically inhaled it, not having eaten since breakfast. Then he dragged himself to the basement to clean up. He sighed as he looked around; his stuff was everywhere. He'd thought cleaning would be just the mindless distraction he needed but unfortunately, everything reminded him of Rachel.

Underneath a pile of dirty clothes he'd found old sheet music from when he and Rachel used to practice in his room. Well, they usually started out practicing but it often ended with them making out. He couldn't bring himself to throw them away so he just put them on his desk.

His desk was littered with various notebooks and textbooks. It was no secret that Finn struggled in some subjects and Rachel had always been more than willing to help him. Their studying together often ended just like their practice sessions. Not that Finn had minded. When he closed his eyes, he could still practically feel her soft lips against his.

Shaking his head to clear it, Finn opened his drawer to put away some clothes that had been sitting in a chair. As he shut the drawer, he noticed an envelope on top of his dresser. Curious, he opened it. It was filled with pictures of him and Rachel. Rachel loved pictures and she'd taken many during the course of their relationship.

A faint smile crossed his face as he slowly flipped through the pictures. There was a picture of them goofing off in one of those cheap photo booths, one of them smiling brightly at his mom's wedding, and another where he kissed her cheek as she grinned at the camera. Disgusted with himself, Finn quickly put the pictures back in the envelope. What was wrong with him? This is what he'd wanted…wasn't it? Finn flopped on his bed, taking a much needed break. He stared up at the ceiling as he really thought hard.

He knew that he still loved Rachel. That much was obvious. He'd been so distant from her lately because it was hard to be around her and not be with her. He had to protect his heart somehow. It seemed like every time he put himself out there, he got burned. Finn wished he could trust her wholeheartedly, but deep down, he wasn't sure he could. That was the problem.

By the time his mom got home, Finn was deep in a funk. Thankfully, Carole left him alone for the most part. She was busy bustling around to finalize everything before Kurt got home. Finn thought it was a bit ridiculous but he knew his mom was just sort of nervous about them all being under one roof again.

Burt had headed straight from work to get Kurt so they wouldn't be back until late. That gave him plenty of alone time to sort through things. He wasn't sure when it happened but while he lay there brooding, he came to a rather simple realization.

Things had been much better when he was with Rachel. He still loved her, he was pretty sure she still loved him, and sometimes it really could just be as simple as that. He'd been making things so complicated that he'd overlooked one simple fact. They were better together than apart.

Finn jumped up and picked up the envelope again. Picture after picture showed them happy and grinning. Neither of them had been too happy these past weeks. Instead, they had been upset, angry, and basically anything but happy. He missed feeling happy. He missed waking up each day with something good to look forward to. He missed Rachel.

He had to get her back.

Finn ran upstairs and left the house quickly, calling to his mother that he'd be back soon. He wasn't sure if she heard him and at the moment, he didn't particularly care. Rachel's house wasn't far and the walk gave him time to come up with what to say. It wasn't until he was standing on her doorstep waiting for someone to answer the door that he realized it might have been better to call first.

At any rate, it was only a few moments before he heard the familiar sound of Rachel's voice as she approached the door. His heart started pounding as he anticipated her opening the door. She answered the door with a small smile that slowly died as she realized that it was him at the door.

"What do you want Finn? I thought I asked you to please leave me alone." Rachel said, not opening the door any further to let him in.

"Can I talk to you? Please Rachel, its important." Finn replied, looking down at her intensely.

Rachel sighed but much to his relief, she dipped her head in acknowledgment.

"Papa, Daddy, I'm going to be outside!" Rachel turned and called to her fathers before stepping on the stoop with him. She shut the door behind her and faced him once more.

"Okay, go." Rachel told him, pulling her sweater tighter.

"Rachel, I'm sorry. For everything. I've been so stubborn and I know I hurt you. I can't even tell you how sorry I am for that." Finn started, fidgeting nervously.

Rachel's cheeks immediately flushed pink and he thought he could see a hint of tears in her chocolate eyes.

"You're sorry?" Rachel repeated, sounding slightly skeptical.

"I really am." Finn nodded sincerely.

Rachel didn't say anything back.

"I wish we could go back to the way things were but I know that's not possible. I want us to start over Rachel. I promise, things will be different." Finn rushed on, seeing that Rachel was about to interrupt him.

"Finn. I can't." Rachel sighed.

"Why not?" Finn asked, his voice as sad as she'd ever heard it.

"Finn, I believe you're sorry. I really do." Rachel started to say before pausing.

"Then what is it?" Finn prompted her.

"Finn, you didn't want me back until I told you that I was done. What was stopping you before?" Rachel demanded, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I was just being stupid Rachel. I'd take it back if I could." Finn tried to explain, shrugging helplessly.

"Well Finn, it doesn't really matter. Because now I can't trust that you really want me." Rachel shrugged back, crying in earnest now.

Finn felt his heart sink as he realized what she was saying.

"How can you think that Rach?" Finn asked, sounding taken aback.

"Think about how you treated me the last few weeks and you'd know why I feel that way." Rachel answered as she wiped her cheeks.

Finn's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to come up with a response.

"Look, I have to go back inside before my dads get worried." Rachel informed him, trying to regain her composure.

She turned to go but Finn reached out to stop her.

"This isn't over Rachel. I swear, I'll make it up to you." Finn promised, his voice low and serious.

"Goodbye Finn." Rachel said before going in her house and shutting the door.

Finn stood there until the streetlights came on before slowly heading back home.

A/N: I hope this makes up for the shortness of the last chapter. Now it's what some of you have been waiting for. Finn is going to have to win Rachel back now. We're down to the last few chapters! And a huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I really appreciate it!


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